Tag Archives: David Mustard
Counterpoint: A Chicago Casino Would Take Money Fom Illinois Residents
Remember when Illinois politicians told us revenue from riverboat casinos would come from out-of-state residents? Then surrounding states built casinos to compete with Illinois. Many of the same companies owned casinos in both states and profited from the expansion.
Now politicians, who are looking for more revenue to pay mounting bills, pension obligations and budget shortfalls, want a massive expansion of casino gambling. This time, however, Illinois residents will be targeted to gamble and lose their money.
While some want to capture the money Illinois residents are losing in other states, a casino in Chicago will create more gamblers with …
Gambling is No Revenue Generator
Gambling revenue promises are rarely met. Gambling interests are pushing for a vote on a massive expansion bill during the final days of the legislative session. SB 1849 legalizes 11 more casinos, including a city-owned casino in Chicago and six racetrack casinos.
During the past 21 years, legislators have legalized riverboat gambling, off-track betting, dockside gambling, advanced deposit wagering, Internet lottery and video gambling. With all that gambling revenue coming in, why does the state have such a large backlog of unpaid bills?
There would be little concern about how much gambling we have in Illinois if it were not …
